Evil-bay, sometimes you lose and sometimes you win.

[Profane Creation]

Well i don't tend to bid on items I don't want, but in terms of thinking I've got it in the bag, and then lose it all, aye that's happened quite a bit. An especially memorable recent one was a Monsterpocalypse Cthugrosh and Ultra... with a Mega! And I was pretty much set to get my grubby fingers on it, when someone swooped in and outbid me at the last minute! 

[Damien]

I feel for you, that happens to me a lot during an auctions last remaining seconds
(<5 secs), freakn' snipers. Totally pisses me off, you can almost taste the win and poof its gone.

[Profane Creation]

Yeah tell me about it!

[Pulper]

I´m sorry to tell you that ebay is not about grabbing a bargain but about paying premium price for things you threw away or could have gotten on the cheap some years ago. So concentate on one range at a time and forget about the mortage and the wife.

[Blue in vt]

I hate to say it but if you can't beat the snipers...then join them...I'm not ashamed to say that I have.  Plus it allows you to set the maximum price you are willing to pay for an item and walk away...you come back later and you have either won it or not....no hovering over the refresh button giving myself an ulcer anymore.

There are still bargains to be had...particularly if you are willing to buy groups of minis and ones that need to stripped...
I've gotten some really choice models in large groups of badly painted figures...if you are willing to do a little work it can pay off in the long run.

Cheers,

Blue

[Braxandur]

Aaah the gold old days that ebay was easy... when no snipping occurred...  then again..  doesn't really matter much as long as you have a maximum price in mind.

I got most annoyed if not only the auction isn't one that I wasn't really intersted in, but if the seller also asks a ridicioulous price for P&P. Paying 6 pound and then seeing a small envelope with only 2.2 pound and postage does not make me appy...  neither do sellers who only are prepared to sell within their own country...  missed some mighty fine auctions that way

[The Dozing Dragon]

My 15 year old daughter has just joined the ranks of ebay bidders (on my account)......frantic run ups to my room (when I'm painting), 'daddy, can I bid on this CD, jewellery, t-shirt, item of clothing etc'........................the joy has returned

The Gnolls are some of my favorite minis ever. They go for silly prices if correctly listed so well done! My last bargain was a few years ago, 60 odd very early Mithril (including the M16 though without sword) for about £40.

[white knight]

Last year, I got two lots of 20 badly painted metal GW and marauder dwarves each, for about £20 per lot and both of them included one of the MM15 dwarves that these days sometimes go for £20 to £35 per figure. And many of the other dwarves would go for £2-3 if listed individually. Lots are the way to go.

[phreedh]

Lots are the way to go.

Hear hear... That's also where those rare and expensive scenario minis hide. =)

[Onebigriver]

I won a lot with this thing in it



I am not into historical minis so I dont even know what it is. The knolls look really cool though, I bet they'll paint up great.

Oh and welcome to the board

Damien

I've had similar figures turn up in job lots. Flattish, about 40mm? Awful figures.

[Damien]

Onebigriver, yup thats the one, about 40mm of blah.

White Knight is right about lots, they are the only auctions that I bid on now.


Damien

[DeafNala]

Its seems not having PayPal or credit cards can be a blessing...sort of.
A bit off topic, where on Long Island do you call home, Bloodysword? I used to hail from Sound Beach.

[Erny]

I have to say sniping never bothers me. I put a bid in for what I'm prepared to pay and if someone snipes me fine, either they snipe too little and I get it anyway or they pay more than I would have, the same mini will be along in a month or two and I'll get it then.

I'm not going to go into other tricks of the whole bidding thing, I like getting bargains and more people doing what I do means slimmer pickings  .

One thing I do defiantly do is refrain from bidding on something if I know a friend from the forums is avidly collecting that same thing. Why compete? They'll get what they want and I can start collecting in a few months time.

Having said all that job lots are rubbish, never worth the cost my advice to everyone is never bid on lots...

[Pil]

I don't really mind snipers either, I did some sniping too when I could be bothered with it but in general I try to make sure my maximum bid really is my maximum bid. I did win some nice lots over time though

[Conquistador]

I was always under the impression EvilBay was where the seller tried to build maximum profit from your auction. Sniping reduces the chance for  the frenzied (over) bidding.

I have no problem with sniping if it's someone just wanting the item and maximizing his chances.  It's the snipers who only want a highly desired item for resell at an even higher price that make me twitchy.  I always hope that kind of bidder/sniper is the guy wanting to re-sell the item only to find out he bid so much he can't recoup his costs.

Changing the subject, high priced postage certainly reduces the bite Evilbay puts on the seller...

Gracias,

Glenn